Dark Love
by Darkhuntress2012
Summary: Jaxon was kidnapped from her family as a baby but years later is found as Xaviers captive by her lifemate Vinnie.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

The shockwaves of violence shook the small community. Five men; all armed to the hilt with guns and archaic tools of superstition. The sun was high in the sky, the prime time to attack their self imposed enemy. No one would stand in the way of their objective; not human, nor psychic, and most certainly not the parents of the infant they stole from her crib.

The baby screamed her fear of the men, flailing her small arms and legs in a desperate attempt to escape them. The men skirted around the bleeding body on the ground. They would rather spend a little time making him suffer. The man gasped for air and grabbed at one of their ankles as they passed. "No." He said through the film of blood in his mouth.

The man kicked him away with a sneer. "Traitor."

"Let's go." The leader of the men said glancing at the sun high above them. "We have to get to the airport ASAP. Don't need to give these blood-sucking bastards a chance to catch up."

They sped through roads in their stolen cruiser. Pushing the limits of the car and themselves. The infant had exhausted herself from crying and fell into a fitful sleep in the backseat.

The men knew only one goal at that moment. To get to the drop off point before the sun set. An unknown presence urged them faster and faster as the sun started it's slow decent to the horizon. Demons seemed to nip at them, to chase their car as they raced against time. Fear grew in them but as much as the forest tried to stop them, they could not bring themselves to stop. They had to answer those insidious whispers. And the whispers demanded to have this baby.

They didn't even feel a breath of reprieve when they finally pulled into the small local airport. Only one plane was prepared to leave, a private jet with mysteriously lost paperwork. The pilot wasn't the usual face behind the controls but nobody seemed to notice. A man came out of the plane and met the other five on the runway. They handed the infant over to the new man.

He took the infant into the plane, not even flinching when he heard five simultaneous gunshots followed by the sound of all five men hitting the ground. He strapped the baby into a special seat and strapped himself into the co-pilots chair. "Let's get out of here before they blast us out of the sky." He said as mist startled rolling across the runway. The sun was still in the air but only just. The edge of the glowing orb had begun to warp and touch the horizon.

Clouds were building at an alarming rate. The pilot wasted no time to take off. The plane was pushed to go as fast as possible. To leave the Carpathian Mountains far behind them.

As the sun finally sank into the ground dozens of geysers of dirt exploded deep in caves and secret chambers all over the Mountain range. The mist grew darker and a storm swept up from nowhere to rage over the entire area. Everyone could feel the pure rage that rolled off of the mountainside.

Pairs of glowing red eyes streaked after the plane, desperate to catch it. But the pilot was heading west, towards the sun, and they couldn't pursue it through the harsh sunlight.

A beastly roar shook the mountains to their very core, beneath the roar a wail of despair.

Mist streamed into the house that still echoed with tremors of violence. The mist shimmered and three tall figures stepped out and into the open. A man with pained black eyes surveyed the room before kneeling next to the gasping man. A woman with long black hair and deep blue-purple eyes bit back a sob. The man spared her a glance before reaching out to grab her hand in his.

He pressed a gentle kiss to her hand. "We will get her back, Raven." He whispered, almost too low even for them to hear. "I swear it." Raven nodded, biting back her sounds of despair.

The man held onto her hand as the second man knelt next to him. The second man had slashing silver eyes and a grim look set on his stony face. He rolled the wounded man over and took in the six neatly placed holes in the man's chest. The man gasped again, struggling to breath through quickly flooding lungs. He turned his eyes to the first man desperately. "Mikhail! I…I'm sorry…I…c-couldn't-"

"Hush now." Mikhail whispered the command. "We know you tried. And we are grateful for that."

Mikhail exchanged a glance with the silver-eyed man. _He will not survive, Mikhail._

_He must, Gregori._

The silver-eyed man was silent for a moment. _Then he must be converted._

The man coughed, "Oh…great…you t-two are…talking…talking t-to each other…right? Th-that can't…can't be g-good."

Mikhail spared the man a glance and put a hand on his chest, easing his breathing ever so slightly. "There is only one was to save you, Gary. But we must convert you to do so."

"The life of a Carpathian is not easy. Especially for our males." Gregori said quietly.

Gary coughed a bit and closed his eyes. They could tell he was listening to something. Most likely a sweet voice in his mind, begging him to survive. Gabrielle had made her attachment to Gary quite clear. Gary coughed again. "Alright."

Gregori nodded and swiftly took control of the situation. He seized Gary's mind with his own, keeping the man tethered to life. He instantly exposed his wrist and sliced it open with a sharpened nail.

As Gregori dealt with Gary, Mikhail straightened and wrapped a comforting arm around Raven's slim waist. _She is alive my dearest. And we will get her back where we will never let her out of our sight again. _His words were a butterfly's wings inside her head but they did little to alleviate the grief.

Dozens of voices rose in outrage at the kidnapping. Voices of family and friends, companions, artists and warriors, men and women. They all could feel the despair ripping at Mikhail and Raven. The knowledge had been shared and spread to all of their people. Almost as one voice they all swore to do everything within their considerable power to ensure that the infant was back with her parents safe and sound.

The infant's name was spread through the community. The stolen child, Jaxon Dubrinsky, Third child of the Prince of their people Mikhail and his lifemate Raven. Every second that ticked by, every heartbeat that passed was another moment that Jaxon got further away from them.


	2. Chapter 2

_Nightmare._ The word shimmered through the air. She knew what it meant. One of the few words she could comprehend in this strange and gory world she was immersed in.

She was slow in opening her eyes. Her eyelids felt like heavy marble doors that simply didn't want to open. The smell invaded her consciousness. It was the smell of rotting flesh and corrupted blood. It made her want to vomit but she clamped down on the urge with a will made of pure steel.

When she finally managed to open sapphire blue eyes she saw nothing but darkness. But she was not surprised; she had grown used to seeing this. Nor was she surprised when he started to speak to her without checking to see if she was awake. Just as she knew who was on the other side of the steel blocking her vision he knew she was awake.

"And how are we feeling today, my dear?" He asked. It was a well-established routine. As was her silence. He wasn't bothered by it.

Suddenly, the close walls jerked and metal spikes dug deeper into her body, making her cry out in pain and fresh blood to ooze from her wounds. The blood followed the dried paths on her too thin body to drip into a funnel where it was collected in a goblet.

She could hear him. Slurping and relishing in the stolen crimson liquid. The sounds made her stomach twist and heave but again she forced her body to relax. She knew she was lucky he found her too dangerous to drink from directly. She had gained too much power through what little of her sacred bloodline she was able to keep in her body. She had already shown her power on occasion and it had cost him several dozen troops.

There was a small clink as he set the goblet down on the table. She listened with rapt attention as she heard him muttering the reversal spells to release the chains she knew were locked around the Iron Maiden that she was imprisoned within. The chains fell away with a mind-shattering chorus of clanks.

Slowly the door to the Iron Maiden opened, the spikes leaving open wounds as they left her body. The sudden increase of light made her wince, her sensitive eyes not yet used to it. But it was only artificial light; it didn't burn her skin like she knew the sun would. He had proved that to her. Leaving her out in the sun for just a few moments was more than enough to prove his point.

She didn't have the strength to fight him as he yanked her roughly out of the device and across the room. Her frail body slammed into the wall of roughly hewn stone. She barely made a sound. She stared at his decaying face as he fastened shackles that burned like acid to her already scarred wrists. He snarled at her as he noticed her stare. She didn't make much indication of having noticed.

The once handsome man had fallen way to his own dark deeds. His teeth turned a rotted black. His hair was stringy and his skin an unhealthy gray that sagged off his bones and seemed to be held to his body by sheer will alone. But his eyes were very much alive. Cold silver steel. The exact same shade as the surgical table he would strap her to before cutting into her for his experiments.

He backed away from her now that she was secured to the wall. "Little witch." He sneered. "I have a new batch for you to test." He said all pretenses gone now that the door of the Iron Maiden had been opened. He was never able to pretend to be civil when faced with those sapphire blue eyes. It was as if she saw straight into him, despite never speaking.

He reached into his pocket and withdrew a needle full of dark orange liquid. It was thick and seemed to move as if alive inside of the glass vial that held it. He grabbed her chin and jerked her head to the side, exposing a scarred neck. The needle plunged deep into her neck sending the entire amount of vile liquid into her system. It almost immediately had an effect.

Her eyes went wide as fire rippled over her skin making her shift uncomfortably. Whimpers rose in her throat as her muscles twisted and gave painful spasms in rejection of the poisonous substance. She cried out as the pain increased ripping her body from one tense position to another. It felt like her very body was fighting against itself. Red lines streamed from her eyes and stained her sunken cheeks as her insides twisted and cramped.

Unbearable heat swept her body in waves. Her stomach gave a heave and then another but nothing was there to expel and the action only served to cause even more pain. More pain swept over her body as it she was unable to control her movements, even with her undeniable will.

She heard his amusement. He always did love to see her in pain. Another scream tore at her throat and she felt her teeth lengthen in desperation. Something seemed to be moving on the edges of her vision. A horrible shadow she could not place. Terrified of both the strange illusion and the pain that ripped at her every nerve she did what she had not dared do before. She reached out with her mind.

Her senses were still reeling in pain and she could not concentrate on anything in specific. She screamed in pain just as she linked with someone on the very edges of her range. Her pain funneled outwards at an alarming rate.

Vinnie hit his knees at the suddenness of the pain that filled him. It was unbearable, thousands of knives ramming into his body and twisting in his flesh. Dots of ruby appeared on his forehead as he tried to find the source of this attack. He was no fledgling to be tricked with a mere hallucination.

He got to his feet and scanned the area. But nowhere did he sense an enemy. Not that he had really expected to sense one. The Vampires he was dealing with would not attack one they already thought to be one of their own. One that was so close to turning.

Cautiously, he examined the source of the pain that was making it difficult to simply breath. It was coming from somewhere else. Someone else. The source was nearby, probably one of the vampires having 'fun' with his supper. Vinnie resisted the urge to stop it. He couldn't put to shame his entire plan now. He was almost done with his task. Soon he would meet the dawn and end his tiresome existence of drab gray.

Another wave of pain washed over him accompanied by a heart-rending scream. For the first time in a very long time, Vinnie felt a very real fear grip him. He put his hand to a nearby tree for support as colors and emotions washed over him sending him back to his knees. He was in pain. Afraid. No, he wasn't. _She_ was. His lifemate. The other half of his soul. The light to his darkness.

The beast in him roared to the surface. Every instinct in him screamed to protect her. To find her and destroy whoever caused her such an unbearable pain. She screamed in his mind again and he latched onto the connection. _I am here with you. _He whispered to her. Using the most soothing voice he was capable of as he shouldered the brunt of the pain.

Images flashed in his mind. A child's form of mental speech but enough to know that she was trying to communicate. He simply had to know how to ask the right questions. _Show me who has caused you such pain. _A familiar cruel face swam to his vision. _Xavier. _It was a hiss of contempt. Utter hatred.

The mad mage had raped and killed Vinnie's sister and then tortured her descendants. And now he tortured his lifemate as well! The beast rose in him even more sharply as fangs exploded in his mouth and claws dug into the tree trunk.

Suddenly Vinnie became aware that the connection with his lifemate was slipping away. She was fading into unconsciousness. _No! You must stay awake, cistri! You must tell me where he is keeping you. _He demanded obedience. Imposed his will even from a distance.

She baulked under the sudden compulsion her own will rising up just as sharply as his had. She fought him at first but her strength quickly drained away and she gave into his demands. Images swam to his mind. A cave filled with unpleasant things. An Iron Maiden appeared in the forefront of the image before the images faded to black.

Vinnie fought back the beast. Several dozen vampires and Xavier were nearby and his lifemate's safety depended on being able to get her to a safe place as quickly and with as few confrontations as possible. He strode towards the cave system that he knew most of the vampires inhabited. Chances were Xavier would be using a deeper, yet connected cave for his own secondary fortress.

Since his ice fortress in the Carpathian Mountains had been infiltrated not once but twice he had started moving the majority of his experiments to this cave system further away from the hunters and his female descendants who seemed very capable of thwarting his safeguards.

The vampires gave Vinnie wide berth as he easily slid deeper into the caves. The Dragonseeker line was formidable and most of these unclean were still far too young to think of questioning him. He barely spared them a glance, his every thought on finding the chamber his lifemate was being held in.

The deeper into the caves he traveled the colder it became. He regulated his body heat with barely even a thought. It was second nature to him after so many centuries. The smell of minerals was heavy and the drip of water sliding down dagger-like protrusions of rock filled the small corridor.

The inside of the mountain was a veritable maze, some of the most dangerous cave systems in the world. The path Vinnie was taking quickly begun to narrow and abruptly stopped. Vinnie's keen green eyes studied the rock carefully. There was a tiny crack in the rock face but it clearly went to the other side as a minuet amount of air was passing through it.

Vinnie's form shimmered before breaking apart into a fine mist. Vinnie studied the room carefully before he reformed. The lack of safe guards was beginning to worry him. Xavier was not one to leave his lair unguarded, especially while inside of it.

He reformed standing on a ledge above a large still lake. The ceiling was many dozens of feet above the water. Vinnie studied the surface of the water carefully. He could see nothing moving in the water but he wasn't fooled. This was most definitely some sort of safe guard. It was not particularly unnatural per say but he simply couldn't imagine it not being used as one. An excellent safeguard is one that is placed over something already natural so that it blended into its environment. And Xavier had excellent safeguards.

Vinnie's senses flared out to scan every surface of the cave. There was an exit to the next chamber below the still water. Vinnie took deliberate steps as he approached the water's edge. He didn't touch the black glass surface as he reached the rough, half-eroded, rocks that made up the lake's shore.

The water was full to the brim with minerals from the eroded rocks surrounding it. It was too mineral rich for any natural creatures to survive in. Vinnie took his time as he circled the lake, getting closer to the underwater entrance. If he made a mistake now it could cost his lifemate her life and in turn his.

Slight movement from the water caught Vinnie's eye. Small ripples spread outward to break the surface of the nearby water. He froze in place, waiting for an attack. The lake returned to perfectly smooth and didn't stir as Vinnie stood in his spot.

Dawn was fast approaching. Vinnie could feel it. He would need to use the sun to his advantage. If he could get past this chamber than he would find a safe place to rest for the day, rise early and hopefully escape with his lifemate before the vampires could get the chance to rise. He couldn't fight both the vampires and Xavier's safeguards.

Vinnie slowly started to move again. The ripples returned, radiating outwards with every step the hunter took. Vinnie narrowed his eyes. He must have already triggered the safeguard. But until the safeguard actively tried to stop him there wasn't much he could do to counteract it.


	3. Chapter 3

The water was rippled and followed Vinnie as he approached the edge of the water. The entrance to the next cave was directly in front of him, several feet under the surface of the water. He didn't have much choice in the matter; he would have to go into the lake in order to get past this chamber and that much closer to his lifemate. Another mental scan of the room assured him that nothing else had changed.

Not a flicker of concern showed on his face as he took the first step into the lake. The water didn't react abnormally. It wasn't until he was waist deep in the icy cold water that anything unexpected happened at all.

The water swirled around Vinnie, as if he was standing directly over a drain. The water pulled at his clothing and made the rocks beneath his feet unstable. Vinnie remained calm as the water's flow started to speed up even more. He could feel tiny creatures in the water that bit at his skin, causing pinpricks of blood to escape into the steadily moving water.

Vinnie wasted no time in healing the hundreds of tiny wounds, even as more appeared. The water continued to try and drag his feet out from under him. The water and whatever tiny creatures were in it were trying to bleed him dry through hundreds of tiny wounds as opposed to larger wounds. A lesser hunter may have not noticed until it was too late, but Vinnie was an ancient. He wove a protective shield around his body so that the tiny jaws could no longer reach his skin.

The water was still swirling, making the once still lake into a veritable whirlpool. Rocks from the shore were being dragged into the water and tossed around, making them deadly projectiles under the cold water.

Before Vinnie could deal with the rapidly moving water something below his feet shifted and pulled, dragging the hunter under the water. A long tentacle with bright spots of bioluminescence shot through the rocks and latched onto Vinnie's ankle. Then another around his arm. As more tentacles erupted from the lakebed Vinnie wasted no time in shifting his form to escape them.

Making his body thinner Vinnie was able to slip out of their grasp. He dodged around the searching appendages and speeding rocks as he focused his energy on the lakebed that hid the strange creature. He brought the ground crushing together, leaving no room for anything to survive.

The source of the tentacles screeched a high-pitched noise of pain. The tentacles retreated and shriveled into the rocks. With that taken care of, Vinnie made his way towards the exit to the next chamber.

The speed of the water continued to build. Vinnie found himself dodging several large boulders as they were hurled through the water. Vinnie put on a sudden burst of speed, making it into the tunnel that led to the next chamber.

It was pitch black inside the tunnel. The tunnel itself twisted and turned until it was unclear if Vinnie was going up or down. The water was getting substantially colder the further Vinnie traveled. Tiny sheets of ice were clinging to the rock walls. The need for air was pushed aside. He could survive without oxygen for a short time if he really needed, as long as he stayed calm.

Suddenly, there was a gentle stirring in his mind. She was waking up. _Cistri. _Again he used the most soothing, black velvet voice he was capable of. _Cistri, I am coming for you. _

He could sense her confusion. Xavier's face swam inside his head again. Followed almost immediately by a blood stained goblet and chains.

Vinnie fought down the beast in him that roared for vengeance. _He will not harm you again, Cistri. I swear it. _

Hundreds of images flickered past his sight, making his stomach clench unpleasantly. Before he could question the meaning of the images his own voice replayed in his mind. _I swear it. I swear it. I. I. _The images swirled again, none of them staying for more than the space of a blink.

It took Vinnie a moment to understand that she was trying to ask who he was. Though her method of asking confused him, he put it out of his mind for the moment. He could later question such things when they were far away from this place. _I am Vinnie of the Dragonseekers._ A huge fire-breathing dragon appeared in his mind, not unlike the birthmark he bore on his abdomen. _Yes, my family associates strongly with the dragon. _

There was a long pause before the next image appeared in his mind. A bright white field. A dark black spot dropped onto the crisp white, spreading quickly to take over the white area completely. The dragon appeared again this time with black marks marring gem-like amber scales. The dragon screamed in pain as the black spread across it's massive body.

Vinnie's brow furrowed. If he understood the images she was showing him, his lifemate could sense the darkness in him. Suddenly the tunnel took a sharp turn upwards and Vinnie could see a faint light marking the exit.

As Vinnie broke the surface of the water he let his lungs function normally again, dragging cool air into them instantly. He pulled himself onto dry land and looked around carefully.

The room he was now in was a grand gallery of rock pillars. Stalactites and stalagmites filled the room with a sense of being in a giant creature's gaping maw. The dragon appeared in his mind again, laying down with green eyes watching like a cat stalking his prey. Vinnie paused in his evaluation of the room. The same images from before repeated. She was questioning the darkness in him.

Vinnie turned back to the room, eyes and mind both working to discover any hidden traps. _I will not harm you, Cistri. I have lived long and the darkness is strong in me, but I will never harm you._

A small creature appeared in his mind. He recognized it as one of the parasites that he had deliberately ingested so that the vampires would let him wander amongst them without suspicion. _They allow me to spy on the vampires. _Xavier's face appeared. _And Xavier. _He agreed.

She seemed to accept his explanation and the barrage of images faded away. Vinnie returned to his examination of the room. Small chambers were placed off to the side of the long gallery. Periodically giant statues were carved from the pillars, each depicting a different gruesome creature from mythology. The floor was covered in carvings, which spiraled into a tight circle in the middle of the room.

Another image appeared in Vinnie's mind, the sun rising over a black horizon. He could almost feel his skin burning and his eyes swelling. _Yes, Cistri, I know. And I must rest while the sun is in the sky. I will awaken as soon as possible and continue. _The sun was sapping his strength, making it harder to move despite being far underground. He was loath to stop when he had not yet reached his lifemate's side but he needed to save his strength for what he was certain would not be an easy escape.

Vinnie looked around the room for a suitable place to rest. There were a few spots of soil near the base of some of the pillars and the walls. He started towards one of them that would be large enough to hold his body. Suddenly, there was a flash of red in his mind, bringing him up short. Another image appeared in his mind following the flash of red. A strange symbol he had never seen before. A reptilian eye within a black diamond shape. A splash of blood followed the symbol, as did the golden dragon lying dead on the ground.

He scanned the area even more carefully but found nothing to indicate any danger was lurking nearby. _What is it? _He asked curiously. Clearly his lifemate knew more about the dangers Xavier had placed in these caves than he did.

The images repeated in his mind. The dead dragon repeating the most often out of all of them. Vinnie turned to look at the different spots of soil. The eye and diamond flashed in his mind every time his eyes traveled over an area. Vinnie frowned again. Somehow she was tapping into what he was seeing. She was able to maneuver around his safeguards in his mind and yet she was finding it difficult to verbalize her questions. She was such an intriguing little enigma. But there was still the issue of finding a safe resting place before the sun sapped all of his ability to move._ Where would you suggest I rest? _He asked, unable to keep his voice as strictly neutral as he had wanted.

He couldn't help but find a small bit of humor in the situation. Here he was, an ancient hunter, and his lifemate was trying to tell him where it was best to rest while the sun was high in the sky. At the very least it was unexpected.

To answer his question another symbol appeared in his mind. Four lines in a pinwheel-like pattern. Vinnie examined the room and found the symbol carved into a nearby wall. The entire area around the symbol was solid stone. Not something he could rest in. Before he could point this out however, a door appeared in his mind. Vinnie came closer to the wall and ran his hand over the rough surface.

After a bit of searching he found a small panel to one side. When he pressed against the panel the wall slid open, revealing a small chamber of rich earth. An image appeared when he looked at the dirt. A face of a vampire that Vinnie recognized as one of the Malinov brothers. _This is where he stays? _A flash of green was his answer. _Is he here now? _A flash of red.

Vinnie smiled. _Thank you, Cistri. _He sent her waves of warmth and comfort to combat what he was certain was uncomfortable conditions of her prison. With a wave of his hand, the earth opened up. The space was large enough for him to lie comfortably. He floated down into the opening. As the earth started to fill back in the shallow grave he set his strongest safeguards. _Sleep, Beloved, and know that I will save you from this place. _He commanded. Exhausted, she slipped into unconsciousness almost instantly. Vinnie reluctantly followed. Slipping into the death-like sleep of his kind.


	4. Chapter 4

The sun was still over an hour from fully setting when Vinnie's eyes snapped open under the earth. The first thing he did was to check his lifemate. Probing the connection they shared all he found was darkness. Vinnie's heart froze, feeling as if a large iron hand had squeezed and refused to let go. He couldn't lose her! Not when he had just found her! Not by Xavier's hand! Not when he had already lost so many people he loved to him!

Xavier. This was all his fault! He had done this! The beast roared in Vinnie's head, tainting his vision with a red tinge of rage. Fangs exploded in his mouth as flames leapt up in his emerald green eyes. A low growl built in his throat. Xavier would be made to pay for all he'd done! First he had stolen Vinnie's beloved sister from him and now his lifemate!

The door to the secret chamber slid open at Vinnie's command and the hunter was instantly out the door. He broke into a stream of mist as he streaked through the gallery of stone pillars and carved monsters. He barely spared the room a glance as he moved towards the exit. He would waste no more time. Hunger was beginning to claw at him, strengthening the beast's roar.

Outside of the mountain a storm was building, lightening and thunder already sending animals rushing to the safety of their dens. The wind raged, snapping limbs off of ancient trees and knocking loose rocks from their perches on the mountainside.

The tunnel forked into two directions and Vinnie hurried down the left fork. At this point, he didn't care if he had to search the entire tunnel system. Any safeguards that were in his way he dismantled with barely even a thought.

Suddenly, something caught his eye. Vinnie stopped in the doorway to a room that held an Iron Maiden that was chained shut with links as thick as his wrist. Vinnie inhaled, smelling old and new blood. He took a step inside the room and glanced around briefly. Chains were attached to one wall, a large surgeon's table was pushed against another, and a large cabinet was in the corner.

Vinnie's eyes went back to the Iron Maiden. He strode over to it and grabbed the chains. They burned his hand the moment he touched them, sizzling and hissing as he pulled with his considerable strength. The burning of the chains destroyed the cuff of his shirt. Vinnie gave one final jerk and the links of the chain broke and the entire length of metal fell to the ground.

Vinnie ignored his burns and grabbed the edge of the Iron Maiden's lid. As he opened the lid the smell of fresh blood filled the air, making his own hunger rise sharply. Vinnie's breath caught at the sight inside of the device.

She was beautiful, if far too thin and covered in far too much of her own blood. She was made of long lines and pale skin. She wore just a long dirty shirt that came to mid-thigh and looked as if it was once a little girl's dress. Bloody gouges from the spikes covered her body. Her silvery-blonde hair fell to her just past her shoulders and framed her face. Vinnie's hand trembled slightly as he brushed a rouge strand of hair away from her face.

Dominic carefully lifted her off of the spikes that dug into her back and pulled her out of her horrid prison. He cradled her limp body in his arms as he knelt down next to the Iron Maiden. "Cistri. Cistri, you must wake up." He whispered as his hand wiped away the traces of blood from her face. "Wake up, Cistri."

Suddenly her heart started to beat, struggling to match the pace his set. Her lips parted slightly as she inhaled. Slowly she opened her eyes to look up at him. Vinnie thought his heart might burst at the sight of those sapphire blue eyes. He could drown in how deep they were.

The dragon appeared in his mind. Vinnie nodded. "I am Vinnie, Cistri." She gave a soft sigh and closed her eyes.

"I am going to heal you now, Cistri." He muttered before closing his eyes and letting himself become pure light and energy. He didn't have time to heal all of her wounds as he would like but he had to at least stop her from loosing so much blood.

Vinnie took his time as he repaired damaged veins and muscles. He would _not _make a mistake. Not with her. Once he was certain that he had stopped her wounds from bleeding he left her body.

"You need blood, Dearest." Vinnie said as he exposed his wrist to her. She opened her eyes again as he cut across his wrist with a lengthened nail. "Drink, Cistri, so that we may both live." He filled his voice with a strong compulsion to do as he had ordered.

Even if she had wanted to fight him she didn't have the strength to do so. At the first touch of her lips on his wrist, Vinnie's blood ran hot. His body ached for her in a way he had never even conceived of being possible. He held her closer to his chest as he fought down his need of her. Vinnie closed his eyes as he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, his fingers tangled in her hair.

He could not believe how sensual such a simple act as feeding had suddenly become. Her soft lips against his skin. Her body cradled in his arms. He clenched his teeth together, trying to resist the urge to claim her right then. She deserved to be fully awake to hear his oath to her. He wanted to look into those bottomless blue eyes as he said it. But as her mouth moved over his heated skin his resolve practically dissolved as if it were never even there. "I claim you as my lifemate. I belong to you. I offer my life for you. I give you my protection, my allegiance, my heart, my soul, and my body. I take into keeping the same that is yours. Your life, happiness, and welfare will be placed above my own for all time. You are my lifemate, bound to me for eternity and always in my care." He could feel the shift as their souls were woven together the way they had been meant to be from the moment of their births. Hundreds of indestructible threads that would always connect them. He softly reiterated the ritual words in the ancient language of all Carpathians as she fed.

Vinnie gave her as much blood as he could afford to before gently stopping her. He gently brushed away any trace of blood from her lips with the pad of his thumb. "Rest, Beloved." He muttered as he lifted her easily. "I will get us to safety."

He carried her out of the torture room and started down the corridor. He wouldn't be able to leave the way he had come; he didn't want to risk taking his lifemate into that whirlpool of a lake. He would have to find another exit.

It wasn't long before he came to an enormous cavern. The path he was on turned into a walkway far above the ground of razor sharp rocks. Hundreds of bats that looked far too large to be natural hung from the ceiling. It was only with his superior night-vision that Vinnie could see where the path led. He started across the bridge keeping an eye on the bats overhead.

_Have you ever shifted your form before, Cistri?_

A flicker of red. A no. He was beginning to understand the way she used images to communicate mentally. But she was still mostly unaware as to what was going on, the images were not as clear as they had been the night before.

_I will help you should it become necessary to do so. But you must trust me and allow me to hold the image in your mind. _There was no image for her response. _Do you trust me, Dearest? _

There was a long pause and she opened her eyes to look at him in the darkness. He waited for her to come to her own decision. Green began to seep into his mind but it was slow, cautious even. A small smile began to form on his face, the first in a very long while. She trusted him -even if it was cautiously- despite sensing the darkness in him. It was remarkable considering what horrible things she must have endured while held by Xavier. And if he was being completely honest with himself, her trust made him…insanely happy.

Vinnie's smile grew and he looked down at her. He marveled at the return of his emotions that allowed him to truly smile for the first time in centuries. And the woman in his arms was the one to give them back to him.

But Vinnie could sense her fading back to unconsciousness and if they came to a situation where they _would_ need to shift she had to stay awake. _Cistri…I find myself at a disadvantage. You know my name but I have yet to learn yours. _

A tree appeared in his mind. The leaves were a bright rainbow of colors ranging from greens and reds to yellows and browns. A few leaves fell from the branches of the tree and Vinne could swear he felt a crisp breeze play across his skin. Fall. A flash of red. He was wrong? Suddenly, it occurred to him; you didn't name a child _fall_ but that wasn't the only name for the season. _No…your name is not fall is it, Cistri? It's Jaxon. _Green flashed in his mind again.

Vinnie smiled again. The name suited her. The season of change and bright colors. The crisp air and the richness of the soil all spoke to the renewal of the earth. He knew many humans thought Autumn was a season where thing died and decomposed but it was so much more than that. Through the falling of the leaves the soil would be enriched, letting new life form and be nourished. Yes, Jaxon was a fine name for the woman who had brought emotion, color…life back to him. Vinnie cast a long look over Jaxon, it meant Autumn.

He knew of only one Carpathian who had such a name. Even hidden within the ranks of the vampires he had heard of the kidnapping. It had been thought a great score against the hunters to lose a six-month-old girl. Especially the daughter of the Prince. Vinnie reached out along a private path. He had been given the Prince's blood shortly after the attack on the Prince's home when he was severely wounded keeping a shield open for Natalya to remove. He would need help to heal Jaxon and he could think of no better to do so than his lifemate's own family.

_Mikhail._

There were several minutes of silence before he received and answer. Vinnie_. I had not thought to hear from you again. Unless you have news of the vampires?_

_I have news, Mikhail, but not of our enemy._

_Then, what news do you have?_

Vinnie paused to look, once again at Jaxon. He couldn't help himself; she was just so amazingly beautiful. A goddess even amongst such a place of death. _I have found your daughter._

_Jaxon…you are certain?_

Vinnie could hear the anxiousness, the hope, in his voice. _Positive. She shares your lifemate's bone structure. But she is very injured and there are several vampires that will follow us as the sun sets. I will need assistance._

_I am forever in your debt, Vinnie. Long have we hoped for news of Jaxon. Gregori, Aiden and Jacques are coming now._

_There is no debt to be repaid, Mikhail. Vinnie_ assured him.

There was a slight pause of uncertainty. _There is…something you have not said. _Mikhail prompted.

Vinnie cast a glance around him as he passed by several of the mutated bats. He wouldn't like to arouse them. Only after he had passed by unscathed did he answer the Prince's unspoken question. _…She is my lifemate._

There was an even longer pause from the Prince. _I am…glad that my daughter has a lifemate as honorable as you, Vinnie. And that you have found a lifemate after so many centuries alone. I am certain you will make Jaxon very happy. Raven wishes to offer her congratulations as well, though would like to remind you she has had little time with her daughter and would not appreciate you 'whisking her away to be locked in your tower' I believe is how she phrased it._

Vinnie almost grinned. It wasn't a bad idea truth be told. _I shall highly doubt I'd get away with it._

_Most likely not. _Mikhail agreed. _Now…I sense that you and my daughter are not yet safe. Get as far from the vampires as is possible. Gregori, Aiden and my brother are on their way and will meet you._

Vinnie muttered his acknowledgement before closing the mental path and returning the entirety of his attention to maneuvering around safeguards that blocked his way to open air where he could move quickly to join with the others.


	5. Chapter 5

Vinnie was only a dozen feet from the end of the bridge when the bats begun to stir. He froze and turned slightly to see the creatures drop from the ceiling and spread their boney wings wide. They shrieked in such high-pitch that it sent Vinnie's senses reeling for a moment. The bats dove at him with too powerful jaws filled with dagger-like teeth.

Vinnie seized control of Jaxon's mind instantly and they both dissolved as the bats swarmed their location. He was certain that Jaxon would be startled by the suddenness of the attack, frightened of the creatures that sought their deaths, but she took every action in stride as she stayed a silent shadow in his mind. In fact, she didn't seem bothered at all.

He didn't bother to reform as he focused on the rapidly moving bats. They were searching for him and Jaxon, intent on killing them. It was a simple task for him to set all of them alight with conjured fire. They fell from the sky, screeching and wailing with their horribly high-pitched voices. Vinnie almost lost his concentration on the form of mist. Not even vampires made noises quite as disturbing as those bats did in their death throws.

Suddenly the rocks started to shift and break apart, triggered –more than likely- by the screeching death of the bats. Huge spikes of rock fell from the ceiling and shattered on the ground below. The entire bridge started to collapse and an avalanche of rocks started to fall across the exits. The whole room was being destroyed and if Vinnie didn't act very quickly they'd be trapped inside.

Still in the form of mist, Vinnie put on a burst of speed to escape the room before it became sealed. He reformed in the hallway as the last of the rocks slammed into place and blocking the way back. He wasn't concerned though; he didn't particularly wish to go back the way they came anyway. He brushed a hand over Jaxon's cheek, "Are you alright, Cistri?" Green flooded his vision. An obvious yes. He was slightly worried at her acceptance of such dangers; she was far too accustomed to violence for his liking. That would be changing very shortly. She would never be in danger again. Not while he was protecting her.

Vinnie looked around the short corridor. There was nothing unusual. The sun was beginning to quickly set; the vampires would be able to rise soon. Fortunately, they were near the surface of the mountain. He could sense that they would soon reach an exit. And then they would be rid of this place forever.

The corridor abruptly ended at the base of a tall cliff. A drop-off if you were standing at the top of it. Holding close to his heart Vinnie allowed himself to become lighter than the air itself. Floating them both upwards. The air was becoming fresher, warmer even, the further they moved. They were definitely close to the exit to this horrible place. Vinnie took a calm step onto the solid ground and saw that he was faced with another short tunnel.

His footsteps didn't make even the slightest of sounds as he carried Jaxon into the next chamber. At the other end of the cramped room he saw the dark purple of the setting sun. Fresh air played across the mouth of the cave, inviting them into the open skies and to their freedom. But even with freedom so nearby, Vinnie was wary as he stepped fully into the room.

He had come across far to little trouble. A few bats and a collapsing cave were hardly effective at stopping him. Though he imagined Xavier thought the vampires lurking in the nearby caves would have been able to fend off most intruders. Unfortunately for Xavier, Vinnie had long ago infiltrated their group. Every second of every day, the dragon on his abdomen burned and throbbed at how close he was to those who had given up their souls. The parasites in his body ate at his body and soul; Destiny had been very right in the agony the creatures caused. But all of the pain and despair of the past several years seemed to fade away to nothing as he cradled Jaxon closer. Being nearby to save her from such a monster as Xavier had been more than worth his own discomfort. Being able to save her when he had not been able to save his sister gave him more strength than he knew he could possess.

Vinnie's senses flared outwards as he started across the room, carefully stepping around triggers for safeguards hidden in the rocks and dirt. The entire cave was riff with traps waiting to be sprung but Vinnie glided around them. But not all of the safeguards could _be_ avoided. The earth opened up and hundreds of snakes slithered out and started towards them, hissing their hatred. A casual flick of his wrist an the serpents shriveled up, letting out a noxious black smoke that Vinnie blew away with a gentle breeze.

He was lucky he was so near the exit. His strength was draining from lack of feeding and from supplying Jaxon with so much blood. The sun was setting fast but Vinnie refused to hurry. One false step in this room and he could end up killing them both. Or worse, Jaxon could be taken from him. He would not allow such a thing to happen.

The room was only perhaps ten feet long but it seemed to stretch on for miles as Vinnie wove a serpentine path through hundreds of safeguards. He heard a hissing coming from seemingly nowhere and knew that the vampires were now very aware of him and his rescue of Jaxon. It was easy for them to understand betrayal; it was one of the main facets of their existence. They swore their retribution to him in his mind as he finally reached the exit of the cave.

Vinnie built up cloud cover as he began to shift his shape. A giant dragon with bright green eyes. An image flashed in his mind. With a smile, he obliged his lifemate, making the scales a brilliant gold. Vinnie gathered Jaxon closer and leapt from the cliff, opening giant bat-like wings to glide easily on the thermals. A few powerful flaps of his wings and they were quickly heading back towards the Carpathian Mountains and the three males that were coming to aid them. Rain began to fall with almost no warning, diluting their trail from the very start. The sun would be setting very soon and he had to delay the vampires as much as he could. Even a few seconds could mean life or death in this sort of situation. _Gregori, we have escaped the lair._

_I know the landscape of this area well. _Gregori replied. _I spent much time here as a fledgling. There is a cave a number of miles from you that should do well for our purposes._

The location of the cave was instantly provided for Vinnie. It was perhaps twenty miles from his current location, an easy distance for him to travel. High in the face of a mountain it should be easily defendable and it had caverns of very rich soil deep within its heart. Everything a group of Carpathians would need. _I shall be there shortly._

The rain beat at the ground and trees as Vinnie sped towards the cave he would meet the others at. Cradled next to the softer scales of his underbelly, Jaxon was kept dry and warm, sheltered from the storm that Vinnie created.

The dragon on Vinnie's belly started to burn with earnest. Several of the vampires were now in pursuit of him and Jaxon. A black shape streaked across the sky, aimed at Vinnie's delicate wing membranes. In the body of the dragon, Vinnie rolled in the sky and avoided the shape.

A dragon was far too big a target and Vinnie once again seized control of Jaxon's mind to dissolve them both, hiding in the cloud coverage above. An image formed in Vinnie's mind as the black shape circled around. A vampire with pitless black eyes and dried blood on his fangs. He recognized the vampire as an older one named Hiram.

The black shape slowed to float effortlessly in the sky, searching for them in the clouds. Vinnie was only vaguely surprised to find that the vampire that Jaxon showed to him was the same that was below them. Vinnie was beginning to think that Jaxon was more than usually perceptive, even for a Carpathian.

"Vinnie! You have stolen something very precious to us, Vinnie!" Hiram shouted to the clouds that he knew they were lurking in. "We will see you burn in the sun for this!"

"I have 'stolen' nothing, Hiram. It was your _Master_ that kidnapped her from her crib those years ago." Vinnie's voice echoed from several spots, soft and compelling and impossible to track.

"I am no one's servant!" Hiram hissed. Vinnie spied two other vampires, lesser beings, approaching. He could not risk reforming when he had to protect Jaxon, nor could he leave her alone while he disposed of the creatures.

Vinnie gave a soft laugh. "Then I suppose that crawling on your belly to do Xavier's wishes is no longer being a servant?" _Gregori, your assistance would be appreciated. I haven't the energy to destroy three vampires and protect Jaxon all at once._

Hiram hissed again as the other lesser vampires began to circle underneath. "Xavier will grant us our souls back!"

_We are on our way, Vinnie. _

"Foolish creature." Vinnie said coldly. "None can give to you what you let go of. Not even a lifemate can save you now."

"That brat can give them back!" one of the lesser vampires declared.

The storm jumped to a new level of ferocity, feeding off Vinnie's anger. How dare that unclean traitor call his lifemate such a thing! Lightening arced down to slam into the lesser vampire, scoring a devastating hit but missing the heart by a mere inch.

The other two vampires casually regarded their wounded comrade as he fell to the ground, a charred piece of flesh. Hiram looked back to the clouds. "If I didn't know better I'd say you cared for the Prince's daughter."

Vinnie ignored the comment. "She cannot give you back your souls, you know this and yet you continue to delude yourselves." He could sense Gregori and the others were close, all he had to do was stall the vampires a few moments longer.

"Perhaps not directly." Hiram said casually. Vinnie was momentarily thrown off. He'd never had a vampire…_agree _with him before. "But…she is the daughter of the Prince and as such connected to every one of us. We can be reborn through her…whole."

"Xavier has sworn it to us that one day she will be able to bring our souls back to us. With his help we will be as we once were!" The other lesser vampire said, a note of hysteria in his voice.

If Vinnie had a head he would have shaken it. Such foolish ideas that they clung to. They were beyond hope and yet they were so gullible the moment redemption was mentioned. It was little wonder Xavier had found them easy to manipulate.

Suddenly a dark warrior with eyes like black ice appeared behind the lesser vampire. In little more than a blink of an eye his fist was buried deep in the creature's rib cage. As he removed the shriveled heart from the chest another dark haired warrior, Gregori, appeared in front of Hiram. The fight became a massacre as three hearts were removed, one by each of the Carpathian males that had come to Vinnie's aid. The hearts and bodies were struck by several bolts of lightening as Vinnie reformed his and Jaxon's bodies.

"You couldn't handle them?" Jacques asked curiously.

"I was at a slight disadvantage." Vinnie replied. "I have not fed in two days and spent most of my energy on Jaxon's wounds."

The three males each glanced at the thin form in Vinnie's arms. Even at a glance her heritage was completely unmistakable. "She looks much like Savannah." Gregori muttered.

"And Raven." Jacques added.

Vinnie's head swung upwards as the dragon burned again. "More vampires approach."

"Jacques and Aiden will handle them. Come, Vinnie, we must attend to Jaxon." Gregori said as he became a large black hawk and flew towards the nearby cave that they would use to heal Jaxon.

Vinnie spared the two other men a glance. Jacques and Aiden were like polar opposites. Jacques was the night itself, dark and mysterious to all but his lifemate. Aiden was golden light, bright and unforgiving as the sun. Vinnie hurried after Gregori, confident that these two skilled hunters could handle the vampires that chased them. And even if they couldn't Vinnie knew they wouldn't hesitate to call Gregori or Vinnie back to aid them. But right now, Jaxon was Vinnie's only priority.


	6. Chapter 6

Vinnie followed Gregori deep into the caves, carrying Jaxon easily. She weighed so little…it worried him. Gregori stopped at a large chamber with nearly black soil. Crystals in a rainbow of colors sparkled on the walls and around a steaming pool of water. Vinnie carefully lowered Jaxon to lay on the rich soil, instantly applying a mixture of the soil and his own healing saliva to the terrible wounds covering her body.

Gregori waved a hand and lit candles appeared on many ledges around the room. The scent of soothing herbs filled the air. After conjuring the candles Gregori knelt down next to Jaxon, silver eyes taking in every hole and slash that covered her. He also instantly noticed the scars around her wrists and neck. Carpathians did not scar easily. "What caused these wounds?" He asked gently picking up Jaxon's arm to examine the circular, bloody, hole.

"She was being held in an Iron Maiden." Vinnie supplied. "I had to give her my blood. I would have preferred to not give her my tainted blood but I had little choice. I feared she would not survive if I did not."

Gregori's eyebrow rose. He had not missed the word 'feared'. He studied Vinnie for a minute, his silver eyes missing nothing. Vinnie barely paid the healer any attention; instead letting his fingers trace soothing designs on Jaxon's skin. Gregori turned back to Jaxon. "I had not expected to find a brother-in-law this evening. At least I can assure Savannah that her sister will be well looked after. She was very worried about that."

"She will never come to harm again." Vinnie declared.

Gregori nodded in approval. "I will handle the parasites first, they are very tenacious." He said as he separated his spirit from his body and became pure healing light.

Already the parasites were attacking her organs, specifically her liver and heart where the majority of her blood was held. Vinnie joined Gregori and started working on the holes in her skin and muscles. As they worked the soothing sound of the ancient healing chant filled their minds. Several different voices joined in, Vinnie recognized Gregori and Mikhail both, as well as several of Jaxon's other family members. Gregori spent a great deal of time burning away all the parasites that were attaching to her organs. After burning away the colonies that were building up, Gregori traveled through the rest of her body. He examined every tissue and every blood cell for any trace of the parasite.

Satisfied that all of the parasites had been destroyed, Gregori left Jaxon's body. Gregori swayed slightly, his skin drawn and gray at the amount of energy that he had expended. Vinnie opened his eyes a few moments later, looking even more drained than Gregori.

Aiden and Jacques were instantly there, wrists exposed to the two other men. "We will go hunt while you continue to heal Jaxon." Aiden said as Vinnie gulped down the ruby liquid. "There is a small village on the other side of the mountain that will provide us with the blood we need to support your healing efforts."

Vinnie politely closed the gash on Aiden's wrist. "What of the vampires?"

"We destroyed the ones that followed you." Jacques answered. "But no more have tried to pursue."

Gregori stopped feeding, closing the pinpricks in Jacques' wrist. "I have removed the parasites but have noticed something…unsettling."

Vinnie's eyes instantly flashed. "What it is?"

"There is severe scarring on several of her organs, including her heart, brain, and reproductive organs. I'm not certain the extent of the damage but that is what I will be attending to next." Gregori said in a perfectly maintained emotionless tone.

The beast roared and gnashed its teeth in Vinnie's mind. Whatever Xavier had done it was most assuredly not pleasant. Vinnie wrestled the rage down. He had to concentrate on helping Jaxon heal.

"Come, Vinnie, we still have much healing still to do." Gregori said, successfully pulling Vinnie away from the rest of the anger he was having difficulty controlling.

Vinnie separated his soul from his body to begin healing Jaxon again. It was becoming difficult to continue the healing, even with Aiden's blood replenishing his energy.

Finally Vinnie finished healing all of the open wounds on Jaxon's body. He turned his attention to Jaxon's legs. They had shattered from far too long standing without reprieve. He fused the bones back together seamlessly, burning away infection that was trying to take hold and reducing the swelling around the break. Then he turned his attention to helping Gregori healing the scarring that she had suffered on her organs. The scars were deep and crossed each other in a gruesome patchwork of damage. It took almost two hours to finish healing Jaxon's heart and other internal organs.

After being resupplied blood from Aiden and Jacques, Gregori turned his attention to Vinnie. "Now you, Vinnie."

"Me?" Vinnie echoed.

"Yes. Your hand is burned and you still possess the parasites. I imagine you don't want any of us to provide Jaxon with blood and while the parasites are in your blood you cannot provide for her." Gregori reasoned. "It may take two risings to destroy them all so we had better begin."

The thought of any of the other men providing for Jaxon instantly triggered the beast's anger. No man but Vinnie would ever be allowed to give Jaxon blood. Even though all three of the men had lifemates it didn't matter to Vinnie. It simply wasn't ever going to happen.

Vinnie once again wrestled down the anger, this time spawned from jealousy. He had never understood why males became so adamant about their lifemates feeding from other men but now it was all too clear. Jaxon was such a beautiful, sensual, woman any man would melt at her touch. He certainly did.

Vinnie nodded in understanding. They didn't have much time left before sunrise. Only a few hours. While Aiden and Jacques continued to stand guard against any vampires that may still be lurking around, Vinnie and Gregori set to work destroying the parasites that had been building for decades.

_It's not as bad as I thought it would be… _Gregori commented. _It must be due to your Dragonseeker blood that you have been able to resist so long._

Vinnie didn't comment, concentrating on rebuilding the skin on his hand and arm. He was confident that Gregori could handle the parasites. The burns on his skin were almost as severe as the ones he had received when he helped defend the Prince all those years ago.

Satisfied with the repairs to his hand, Vinnie joined Gregori in burning away the parasites. Even with both of them working it took massive energy to destroy the creatures and then to heal the damage that had been done to the hunter's body.

They were forced to stop their efforts some time later when the sun started to get too high. Vinnie opened a space in the earth, large enough for both him and Jaxon to lay in. Herbs were scattered on the rich soil to help restore their energy and promote recovery from the wounds they'd so recently had healed.

Gregori, Aiden, and Jacques opened spaces of their own. They positioned themselves around the cave so that they could easily defend the weakened couple. All four males set strong safeguards over the cave and their own resting places.

Vinnie gathered Jaxon in his arms and lay down in the opening that he made. As the soil started to fill back in, Vinnie wrapped his arm around Jaxon's waist. He brought her closer to his chest and buried his face in her thick hair. The last thing he was aware of before his heart and lungs shut down was the feel of her body against his.


End file.
